Windows 11 trying to sneak onto Windows 10 system?

Question

How do I update to Windows 10 21H2 without Windows 11 sneaking in? How would you go about it?

Answer 1

How do I update to Windows 10 22H2 without Windows 11 sneaking in?

When notified that your device is compatible with Windows 11, simply choose the option, to stay on Windows 10. At this point, you will have to manually elect to upgrade to Windows 11.

How would you go about it?

When prompted to upgrade to Windows 11 decline the upgrade. It’s unnecessary to disable TPM support to block Windows 11. At this time Windows 11 is still an optional upgrade and Windows 10 is fully supported until 2025 so there is no reason that will change.

If you really want to make it impossible for Windows 11 to be installed. You can configure the Select the target Feature Update version group policy to 22H2. The first field should be set to Windows 10 while the second field should be set to 22H2. This policy will prevent Windows Update from installing Windows 11.

Registry Key:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"ProductVersion"="Windows 10"
"TargetReleaseVersion"=dword:00000001
"TargetReleaseVersionInfo"="22H2”

Answer 2

I have used Windows Update to upgrade to Windows 10 21H2, and Windows 11 didn't sneak in.

If Windows Update proposes "Feature update to Windows 10, version 21H2", then you are good to go.

If it doesn't, you may still download directly the upgrade from Microsoft's page of Download Windows 10, where you can choose between doing the upgrade from there, or to create a Windows 10 installation media and use it instead.

Answer 3

I used gpedit.msc to disable automatic updates and select the target feature update version, 21H2. I also set AUOptions in the registry to 2 so the system will notify me before downloading updates.

Answer 4

Simply disable TPM (in BIOS).

Whether you have a laptop or a desktop PC, they all feature a toggle switch in BIOS. It's how I "upgraded to Windows 10". I simply prepared the Windows 10 installer, rebooted into BIOS, turned off TPM, installed Windows 10 and now I live a much happier life.

Please only follow this suggestion if you don't rely on TPM. In my case, it was not enabled on any of my business, home machines and only got enabled so I could upgrade to Windows 11. Thus, disabling it to prevent Windows 11's forced upgrade - is an option in my case.